Blog:Apparel brands implicated in Cambodia unrest

Western brands and retailers are "deeply implicated" in the current unrest gripping the Cambodian apparel sector - but they can also be part of the solution, a new report suggested last week.

The analysis by the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) highlighted the recent deaths and arrests of striking workers in Phnom Penh, the underlying causes, and what action should be taken. Among the suggested steps to tackle the situation are making sure that supplier factories do not take retaliatory action against workers for their role in the unrest.

Meanwhile, concerns of a different nature were being voiced in Bangladesh. The impending anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster has highlighted that less than 20% of the amount required to make compensation payments has so far been received into the Rana Plaza fund.

Elsewhere, just-style took a closer look at Africa as the next frontier in apparel sourcing. A webinar by the American Apparel & Footwear Association highlighted the opportunities and challenges the continent offers, as rising manufacturing costs in China force companies to look at alternative sourcing destinations.

With that in mind, another emerging trend is the 'Made in the UK' movement, which appears to be gaining momentum. While there has been little robust evidence to date on the scale of any such shift, new figures from PwC suggest re-shoring has the potential to create up to 200,000 extra UK jobs over the next decade - with sectors such as textiles and clothing among the main beneficiaries.

Some of just-style’s more eagle-eyed readers might have noticed a small change to the menu bar on the homepage: the addition of the word re:source. Yes it might be a small change – but it marks the co...

As the Brexit roller-coaster continues to twist and turn, and the US presidential election campaign nears its unpredictable and possibly protectionist end, there's no doubt these events – and the perc...